


Supernatural AU

by matches2point0



Category: Supernatural
Genre: AU, Demons, F/M, Fanfic, Salt, Time Travel, Torchwood - Freeform, doctor who - Freeform, sfw
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-06-19
Updated: 2013-06-19
Packaged: 2017-12-15 10:53:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/848687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/matches2point0/pseuds/matches2point0
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Death's ring gets stolen by Chris Kendall on Sam and Dean's watch. The only solution they see is going back in time and killing the burgler before it happens. With Castiel's powers low, they seek out another time traveller, Harpier Charlestone, a former Torchwood worker.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Supernatural AU

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry I used crabstickz and Torchwood. I hadn't originally planned on publishing this so when I needed the names I just took them. Torchwood here is not like the real Torchwood and Chris Kendall is not a YouTuber. Also, apologies for the lack of Destiel but please have faith that I can make this convincing! I also don't know American geography so I make up names of cities as I go along. Thank you and enjoy!

It was a chilly October night. The kettle in the small apartment clicked as it came to a boil in the kitchen. The clock that ticked off in the washroom said it was nearly midnight. There was knocking at the door which took the young woman just popping a tea bag into her mug by surprise. She walked over with her steaming tea to the door and opened it cautiously. In front of her there were two men both taller than her. 

"Can I help you with anything?" asked the young woman, suppressing a yawn. She wore black sweatpants with a university insignia on them, a white t-shirt that was wrinkled like she had been sitting on it for a long time, and a brown bathrobe, long enough to reach her calves. She had red curls and her cheeks were pink as though they had been freshly scrubbed. 

"Yes, we're looking for Harpier Charlestone," said the taller one. "Is she here, do you know?" They both were dressed for rough weather, it seemed. Jeans, boots. One had a leather jacket and the other a canvas one, both with plaid underneath. 

"Yup, it's me. Hapier the almighty," said the woman with a satisfied half smile as she blew her tea gently to cool. "And who are you two, who know who I am?" The two men looked at eachother as if having a wordless conversation. At last the taller one spoke again. 

"I'm Sam Winchester and this is my brother, Dean," he said. "And we've heard that you can travel in time and space." Harpier laughed but there was an underlying unease. 

"If I could travel in time I would have had a nap this afternoon and still been able to clean the house and go shopping," joked Harpier, but Sam and Dean didn't seem to be buying it. 

"Mind if we come in?" asked Dean, ignoring the denial. Unthinkingly Harpier stepped to the side, letting sam and Dean pass. The brothers made their way to her couch where they sat down comfortably without asking. Harpier watched them carefully, still unsure of what these men were doing, asking about time travel. She took a seat on a patched chair across from them. 

"So what do you want?" she asked, taking a nervous sip from her tea. It burned her tongue but she didn't care. Now she knew that she wasn't dreaming. 

"We want to know how you travel in time and if you could help us," explained Dean bluntly. 

"I can't time travel, nobody can," stammered Harpier from behind her mug. 

"We're not here to hurt you," assured Sam. "We just need a little help. We won't let you get harmed in any way." 

"Who are you?" asked Harpier, almost shouting. Immediately she hushed herself, aware of the thin walls and the many neighbours she had in the building. "And what do you know about me?"

"We already told you who we are-" began Dean. 

"What are you then?" asked Harpier, hissing the word what. Sam sighed. 

"We're hunters," he said. "We don't hunt animals, though. We hunt monsters, demons, spirits. All of the stories told to scare children at night are real and we're the ones who get rid of them to keep people safe." 

"What do you know about me?" repeated Harpier, her voice barely above a whisper. With this, Dean unzipped his duffle bag and pulled out a file holder with magazines and newspaper clippings. 

"We've spent a while tracking you down," remarked Dean, flipping through the articles. "For someone who is so well known you've managed to keep yourself hidden pretty good." Dean pulled out a story from a magazine. It showed a picture of Harpier in a mid-shin length deep blue dress with puffed up sleeves. Her short red curls were bobby-pinned all over her head to make an almost floral pattern. In the picture she was holding a golden plaque and stood between two elderly women with their hands on her shoulders. The article was about Harpier Charlestone, a first year university student at the University of Harlemore and her incredible scientific achievements. Next Dean pulled out a black and white cutout of a newspaper marked Markona Weekly. Under the title was a picture of Harpier dressed in a blazer at a banquet with many people. A glass of wine in hand, Harpier wasn't looking at the camera, but she was still the centre of attention. The article was about the special science wing gala in honour of the student achievements at Harlemore, featuring Harpier. All of the articles showed different stories, different achievements throughout the academic life of Harpier until the last one which signaled her prestigeous acceptance to Torchwood, a science lab focused on experimenting on unheard of things. Torchwood was very secretive and acceptance there was hard to come by and much sought after by university students. Very few reports or stories came from Torchwood but there were many legends and urban myths, most popularly about aliens and time travel. 

"What do you know about Torchwood?" asked Harpier cautiously. 

"Not too much," admitted Dean with some reluctance. "Security's big there and we couldn't get in. We do know, however that the time travel is real. Maybe even the aliens." Harpier nodded along slowly but didn't offer any confirmation. 

"So you did work for Torchwood?" asked Sam. 

"The papers don't lie," responded Harpier quietly. 

"Are you still working there?" Sam continued. Harpier shook her head. "Why not?"

"I had to get out of that business. It wasn't what I had signed up for, not even close. Now what do you want time travel for?"

"We need to get something back that was stolen from us," said Dean.

"Something that could bring on the end of the world if we don't get it back," added Sam. 

"sorry boys," responded Harpier, tucking up her legs and sipping from her tea. "I don't think time travel would really be good for you."

"What do you mean, 'not good for us'?" cried Dean. 

"I mean it's not easy, it's not safe, and probably not worth it. You can get your thing back in this time without the risk of creating paradoxes or getting someone killed," explained Harpier. Across from her, on the couch, Sam and Dean exchanged a glance before Dean suddenly pulled a gun from his coat and cocked it, pointing it directly at Harpier's head. She leapt back in her seat, sloshing tea over her bathrobe. 

"Dean!" shouted Sam, grabbing his brother's arm. Dean's hand remained steady though. In her chair, Harpier relaxed her breathing slowly and sat back up. Her anxious expression had disappeared and she now looked vaguely amused which concerned Sam and Dean. "W-what is it?" stuttered Sam. 

"You'd probably do better with a loaded gun," remarked Harpier. Sam looked at Dean, his eyes full of question. Sure enough Dean pulled the ammunition from his pocket and revealed that the gun was empty. 

"How did you know that?" asked Dean. 

"What do you think we did at Torchwood?" said Harpier. "I wasn't just a scientist, you know. I was a fighter."

"What did you fight?" asked Sam. 

"What did you lose?" asked Harpier, ignoring the question. 

"We lost a ring," answered Dean with obvious reluctance. 

"Well tough, go buy a new one for her."

"It wasn't an engagement ring, it was a ring given to us by Death!" cried Sam. 

"Death?"

"Yes, Death. You know, creepy cloak, weird curved knife thing? Death," explained Dean. 

"Well that sure does seem like a bigger deal," remarked Harpier. She got up and added more hot water to her tea. "But you don't need me," she said, returning to her seat. 

"Come again?" asked Dean. 

"You don't need me. I was at Torchwood long enough to pick up some tricks. I can smell time travel on you meaning you've got other means," explained Harpier. 

"What do you mean 'other means'?" asked Dean, getting more anxious by the second. 

"Boy, you've really got to start listening. How did you time travel last time?" she asked. 

"Look, that doesn't matter. We tried and it didn't work, but we really need this from you, and in the near future you'll see you need us to do this too," pleaded Sam. 

"Well now I'm just curious," insisted Hapier. "How did you do it before?" A sound that seemed like wings flapping came behind Harpier and she noticed the magazing pages Dean at put on the coffee table were rustling. 

"They did it through me," came a voice from behind Harpier. She didn't turn, not yet. She was frozen to her seat. The voice was rather gruff and deep. It was definitely a man's voice. A man who had just flown into her appartment. In front of her Sam and Dean looked hopeful, no, impressed. Quickly she thought. She had become good at thinking on the spot, it was something that had gotten her all of the awards in university. Man who could travel in time and space who was associated with hunters. 

"I've got nothing. Now how many more people are going to show up uninvited?" said Harpier at last, attempting to appear calm and in control in front of this entourage, as she turned around to face what seemed to be an ordinary man. He wore a long trenchcoat with a white shirt and loose tie. He looked like he could have been anyone who came home from a long day at work, unbuttoned his shirt a little to relax with a beer and catch the evening news. It was impossible though. No man could simply fly in, nor could he time travel. He could have lied about the time travelling, but based on everything else that was happening, it seemed likely that he was telling the truth. "So who are you?"

"I cannot say that I am particularly surprised that you would not recognize me or even remember me, Harpier Charlestone," said the man. "I am Castiel, angel of the Lord." 

"Angels," mused Harpier. "Angels can time travel?"

"That's the only thing she's wondering about when an angel flies in?" muttered Dean to Sam, receiving a sharp elbow in his ribs. 

"I was hoping, though the chances were slim, that you would show mercy after what happened last year," continued Castiel. 

"What did happen last year?" asked Harpier with distinct confusion in her voice. 

"I am sorry that this is all news to you, Harpier," said the angel. 

"Sorry Harpier, do you think that we could have some time with our winged friend. I think there are some things that we need to clear up," suggested Dean. Harpier nodded, drinking more of her tea. The three men got up and walked to her bathroom, the only room with the door open, which they closed behind them and huddled up, speaking in hushed tones. 

"Cas, what's going on?" demanded Dean. 

"Yeah, you said she could help us. What are you talking about her remembering you?" added Sam. 

"Last year when Harpier Charlestone worked for Torchwood she got to a point of desperation where she could no longer handle the stress of secrets and not being able to connect with her family and friends. With her early graduation too from university she was not treated as a protege, but as a child. While, as you can tell, she is a girl of science, she began to pray to God for help or realization. The angels higher up refused her help because of her lack of faith, but her prayer reached me in a way I could not ignore. I came to her aid and helped her realize the potential she had beyond Torchwood, though I did not have a vessel then. It is likely she believes that it was simply an idea that came to her after a good rest, rather than a conversation with me in her dreams," explained Castiel. There was no mistaking the slight sadness in his voice. 

"Why don't you go tell her that?" asked Sam. 

"They were not pleasant times for either of us, Sam. I think it would do little good to bring them up again when we have this opportunity for another beginning. What matters now is retrieving Death's ring from Raphael. He is powerful enough as it is without the abilities of Death," answered Castiel. He opened the door and walked back to the livingroom where Harpier had three tablets in her hands that she ate slowly. 

"Are you alright?" asked Sam, observing the pills. 

"They're just Tums," replied Harpier. "I get a little sick when I'm stressed." Castiel looked down at his feet, remembering the last time he had seen her stressed like this. "Now tell me," she continued. "How come you can't help them time travel this time?"

"I have become too weak. If I time travelled with them I would be completely useless in that time whereas with your aid we would be able to go unharmed," responded Castiel. Harpier looked thoughtful. Whether she could remember Cas or not he seemed to be the only one so far she trusted, which was odd considering he was the one who flew in rather than asked permission to enter. 

"How and when was it stolen, the ring?" Harpier asked. 

"Two weeks ago when Sam and I both thought that the other was looking after it and it got left at out motel room," Dean answered. 

"Well that's embarrassing," chuckled Harpier. "You should be a little more careful with your toys, especially the ones that could, you know, bring on the apocalypse!" The three men all took a step back. "So you want me to zap you back so that you can jump the guy who took it?"

"Not exactly," began Sam cautiously. "The guy who stole it is working for demons who aren't going to stop trying to take the ring. We've got to go back before he tries to steal it and kill him." Harpier nodded slowly, the plan didn't seem too far-fetched for her. 

"I think you forgot to tell her something, Sam," said Castiel. 

"Tell me what?" Harpier sighed. 

"Thanks Cas," said Dean, forcing a smile. "It just so happens that this guy isn't a person possessed by a demon. He's just a person with demons as bosses and also as protectors. This means that apparently we can't just go in and kill him without getting a crap-ton of demons on our asses." 

"The positive side of him being human with protectors from a distance is that he is naive so we can get him to trust us and then we can kill him before Sam and Dean come to town," said Castiel. 

"Thanks Cas," muttered Dean, looking at his toes. 

"So you guys are going to drop in extra early?" clarified Harpier. 

"Oh no way!" laughed Dean. "He's going to be waiting for us, but you know who he's not going to be looking for? The angel and the ginger."

Harpier looked around in shock but got no comfort from the people around her. 

"All you've got to do is get there with Cas and let yourselves be trusted. Then when you've got his trust while we lay low and then once you've got him Sam and I come up and gank the bastard," Dean explained like it was nothing. 

Everything that had happened that evening since the knocking on the door went against Harpier's better judgement. She shouldn't have let strangers in, she shouldn't have let them talk, she shouldn't have been even considering their idea. But she did. 

"I'll do it," she said at last. 

"I had faith in you, kid," said Dean pointing at her and tapping her on the shoulder.

"I'll go get the stuff," she said and she went to her bedroom. She let out a long slow breath as she opened the drawer that had her vortex manipulator and the other things she still had from Torchwood. Before leaving her room she grabbed a leather backpack and threw in a pair of jeans, three shirts, and socks and underwear. 

The vortex manipulator appeared to be a brown leather bracelet that Harper tied around her left wrist. Along with it came five golden rings. (This had Dean happily humming the twelve days of Christmas, much to Sam's frustration.) The rings all connected them to the bracelet so that they wouldn't be able to travel seperately. They all slipped the rings on their fingers which fit with surprising ease while Harpier controlled the bracelet. 

"Okay, where to, exactly?" asked Harpier. 

"Mintwater, Illinois. Mid-August," answered Sam surely. 

"All ready?" asked Harpier nervously. They all nodded. Harpier grabbed her mug of tea and took a big gulp before setting down her beloved mug and pressing into the leather bracelet and everything was black. 

It was only dark for a moment before they could see again. It seemed to be late afternoon where they were. There were people about and they could see some signs that confirmed their location. Dean found a stand with newspapers that he checked quickly.

"August 15th. Spot on Harpier!" he remarked proudly. 

"Guys I'm in my pyjamas," Harpier pointed out, ignoring the praise. Castiel looked down at her clothes. 

"Well that was a little silly wasn't it?" he said. "It's fortunate that you look nice in that, along with anything, I'm sure." Dean looked sideways at Sam. It was unusual for Cas to be complimenting people. 

"Anyway, you two have got to get an appartment. We'll catch up later," said Dean, and with that he and Sam turned on their heels in the opposite direction. 

"Do we even have money?" asked Harpier with desperation, suddenly realizing how unprepared she was. 

"Dean gave me this," replied Castiel pulling something from the pocket of his trenchcoat. It was a credit card with the name Casey Johnothan on it. 

By the end of the day Cas and Harpier found an appartment, and, as promised, Sam and Dean found them and bought the one next to them, all on fake credit cards. 

Harpier looked around at the appartment she was now sharing with Castiel. There was a kitchenette, a couch, and a TV in the front room. Then, off to the side, there was a bathroom and a bedroom with a king sized bed. 

"You should rest," suggested Castiel after Harpier put her bag down in the bedroom. 

"So should you," she responded. 

"Angels don't have to sleep though," Cas pointed out. 

"Sleeping's fun though," continued Harpier. Castiel sighed and lay down on the bed. "You're not going to sleep like that, are you?" said Harpier looking at Cas still in his trenchcoat, tie, and even his shoes. Cas stood back up. 

"Well how am I supposed to sleep?" 

"Come here, you," said Harpier with a grin. Cas walked over to her side of the bed. She started by pushing his jacket off his shoulders. Cas looked down at it crumpled on the floor with some disdain but didn't protest. Next, Harpier loosened his tie and pulled it over his head. she unbuttoned his shirt and added it to the pile, undid his belt and his pants, and then instructed him to take off his shoes. There he stood wearing nothing but his underpants.

"This is how you expect me to rest?" he asked, looking down at his nearly naked body. 

"Trust me, it'll be more comfortable," assured Harpier who, still in her own pyjamas, hopped onto her side of the bed. Cas looked skeptical but didn't question it, and he lay down next to her. 

The next morning Cas and Harpier met with Sam and Dean in their equally small appartment. "You'd better go apply for that job now," said Dean handing Harpier a resume and some IDs already with her picture on them. "Here's the adress of the place." 

After two days everything was going according to plan. Harpier had gotten the job, as they expected with such a stellar resume, and had gone shopping for better clothes to wear. The job was as a secretary in a magazine publishing house. All she had to do was answer the phone and direct people to different offices, so she had plenty of free time to get to know the people around the firm, especially the man they were hunting, Chris Kendall. 

"I think we should get some fresh air, Cas," suggested Harpier one day. 

"Why would you think that? The air in here is quite fresh, I'm sure of it," responded Castiel with confusion. 

"I mean, let's go out. We can explore a bit. Besides, people are going to think we're either really weird or really into eachother if we don't get out," Harpier said, grabbing Castiel's hand. He looked at his hand in her's oddly for a moment before getting up and following her out the door. They held hands together all the way down the hall, down the elevator, and down the sidewalk until they made it to a cafe. "Let's eat here," suggested Harpier, and Cas obeyed. 

Harpier ordered a tea for her and a coffee for Cas. Even though he didn't need to eat or drink anything Harpier decided it was best to avoid suspicion. They made light conversation for some time before Harpier noticed Castiel looking above her head oddly. 

"What is it," she asked. 

"You should probably be aware that the target is behind you," he whispered. Harpier turned slowly and there, talking to a waitress, was Chris Kendall. Before she could turn back he caught her eye. 

"Oh hello Harpier! What are you doing here?" he said pleasantly. 

"Just exploring the town," replied Harpier lightly. "We haven't had much time to get out with all of the unpacking we've had to do." Castiel looked at her quizzically. 

"Harpier we haven't-" he began. 

"Haven't been introduced, you're right!" interrupted Harpier suddenly. 

"Quite right!" observed Chris. 

"Yes this is Cas, my uhm... well you know my uhm... husband!" she said, reaching across the table to take Castiel's hand. She gave it a small affectionate squeeze and rubbing his fingers with her thumb. Cas looked more confused than ever.

"How long have you been married?" continued Chris. 

"Almost a year," responded Harpier. The answers were coming easily to her now, almost as if it were true. She almost believed the story she was telling. "In fact we were hoping to save enough money here and then we could go on our overdue honeymoon. Right sweetie?" Cas looked up, eyes looking almost scared.

"Yes, that is true," said Cas without taking his eyes off Harpier. Then he did as she did by squeezing her hand and rubbing his thumb on the palm of her hand. Harpier winked at him to tell him he was doing well. 

"Well I won't keep you two from your drinks! I'll see you tomorrow, Harpier," said Chris giving the back of her chair a small pat. 

"Right, see you then," she said smiling before turning back to Cas. 

"He doesn't seem like much of a threat," observed Cas. 

"That's what I was thinking," agreed Harpier. "But I guess that's because he doesn't think we've got Death's power source." Castiel nodded. 

"It's likely you're right." Harpier looked around. Peoeple were starting to look at them like they were doing something wrong. It took a moment for Harpier to realize how openly they were talking about their case. 

"We should go," whispered Harpier urgently. She pulled some money from her pocket and lay in on the table next to her nearly finished tea. Castiel and her got up to go, but the people were still watching. They needed to quickly look like a normal married couple again. "Quick," she breathed. "Kiss me." Cas looked at her with wide eyes. 

"What?"

"You heard me, Cas," she muttered as she grabbed Cas by the tie and pulled him in for a kiss. It started hard, like a crushing of lips, but it softened quickly as they seemed to be melting against eachother. It was over almost as soon as it had begun, but it was enough to get people minding their own business again. 

"That was... nice," said Cas looking ahead of his feet slightly. 

"Right back at you," said Harpier, trying not to sound as out of breath as she was. She looked over at her supposed husband who smiled at her. It was the first she had seen him smile and it was beautiful, she couldn't help smile back. "Let's go home now, dearie."

"That sounds like a good idea... dearie," answered Castiel which made Harpier giggle a little. 

The next day that Harpier was at work, just as she was ready to go on her lunch break, Chris approached her. 

"Hey Harpier," he greeted cheerfully. 

"Hi Mr. Kendall," said Harpier nervously tucking and untucking a strand of hair behind her ear. 

"Oh it's Chris, please.I was thinking you and your husband could eat dinner tonight with my wife and me. Our treat," he offered. 

"Oh, sure. I'll just go call my husband now and see what he thinks!" said Harpier with a grin. "I'll see you," she said and she left the building, already dialling Cas's cell phone. 

She heard the ringing stop and it was quiet on the other end. She wondered if her call had somehow been cutoff. Maybe Chris was on to her and Cas and broke the connection. 

"Hello?" she tried into the phone. 

"Hello Harpier," answered Cas. 

"You're supposed to say 'hello' when you pick up the phone, Cas," said Harpier. "It lets the person calling you know that you're listening."

"Thank you," said Cas. "Now what's the reason you're calling?" 

"We got invited out to dinner."

"Who invited us?"

"Chris Kendall did. His wife will be there and we should be fine. It would be more suspicious to say no, don't you think?"

"I guess that's true."

"But you're going to have to eat something. Got it?"

"Right then, dear," answered Cas as he hung up. It made Harpier smile that he was still calling her 'dear' like they really were married. 

Immediately Cas called Dean. 

"Hello?" said Dean, picking up the phone. 

"Dean, this is important," said Cas. 

"What happened?" asked Dean worriedly. He was already standing and checking his guns. 

"Harpier and I got invited out to dinner by Chris Kendall."

"That's it?" said Dean, putting his weapons down. "This is good. The whole point about coming back in time is to get his trust."

"He thinks that Harpier and I are married."

"Again, so what?"

"I don't know how to be in love, Dean," said Cas urgently. "He's not going to believe that we are married if I am not in love."

"You don't have to go falling in love with her. You just have to look like it."

"What do people who are in love do?"

"I'll be right there," said Dean and he hung up. Only a moment later Dean walked into the nearly empty appartment Cas and Harpier were sharing, holding his laptop. He sat down on the patched couch that had come with the place and tapped the spot next to him for Castiel to sit down too. 

"What's on the computer?" asked Cas, watching Dean open it. 

"There are different kinds of love so I figured I should show you a couple types for you to work with," explained Dean with a hint of pride in his voice. He opened the internet and started new tabs. One tab was a porn site and the other five were romantic movies, happy and sad, for Cas to watch while Harpier was finishing her day at work. Dean put the computer on Cas's lap. He opened the first video there was on the porn site. 

"This is love?" asked Cas with concern, watching the young woman on screen being spanked over and over again. 

"In a way," answered Dean. "But don't do that with Harpier. At least, not in public," he added with a nudge. 

"What about that part?" asked Cas watching the now naked man slide himself into the moaning woman. 

"Again, not in public Cas. Now go watch your movies and you should be ready for dinner."

At the end of the day Chris caught up with Harpier as she was about to leave. 

"So you can come?" he confirmed. "Six o'clock at Le Petit Bistro?"

"Cas and I will be there," replied Harpier with a grin. 

Harpier was surprised when she came into her appartment. The first thing was that Cas was sitting on the couch with Dean's laptop. Harpier didn't know what angels did in their spare time, but this was the first time she had seen one with a computer. Then he stood up when he saw her. 

"I hope you had a nice day, honey," he said. 

"'Honey?'" repeated Harpier. 

"That's what couples do," said Cas bluntly. 

"Well, no complaints here," said Harpier with a smile. "We're meeting the Kendall's at six." Cas nodded as he approached Harpier and hugged her. 

"Couples also hug eachother," he explained. 

"I see you've done your research," laughed Harpier, returning the hug. 

"There are other things that couples do that Dean said we should not do in public," he continued. Harpier raised her eyebrows. 

"Well we should probably stick to that suggestion. What else did Dean tell you about couples?"

"Even though I don't spend much time on Earth I'm not completely oblivious about couples. They hold hands, hug, kiss, reproduce," answered Cas; they were still hugging. 

"It's not always to reproduce, you know."

"Yes, I know," said Cas, reminiscent of the porn he had been shown. 

"Tighten your tie, we should get going." Cas and Harpier took eachothers' hands and starting walking down to the lobby of the appartment building while Harpier looked for directions to the restaurant on her phone. They found the restaurant in no time. Chris was nice to choose a place not far from the office. They saw that Chris was already sitting with a woman and there were two empty seats across from them. Cas smiled at Harpier as they walked in, ringing the little bell over the door. 

"This will be fun," he said. 

"I'll bet, sweetheart," answered Harpier. Cas leaned over and gave her a small kiss on the lips. It took her by surprise at first, but she remembered that they were acting as husband and wife, so she returned it. 

"Ah, Elena!" exclaimed Chris, standing up and ushering Harpier and Castiel to their seats. "Elena, this is Harpier and Cas!"

"Cas?" repeated Elena. 

"It's, uhm, short for Casey," lied Harpier, remembering the credit card. 

"Oh," squeaked Elena. "Well, do have a seat."

"What will you have, Cas?" asked Harpier, nodding at the menu. 

"Well, Harpier-" he began. 

"It'll be good," whispered Harpier. Cas nodded. 

"The burgers look good," he stated. Harpier gave him an affectionate pat on the arm. 

They all got their food and talked pleasantly about meaningless things. Castiel was doing well at going along with the conversation without sounding too out of the ordinary. When they finished they all wished eachother a good night. 

Castiel and Harpier found themselves in their appartment again, but it wasn't like the other times. Now, Cas had his arm over Harpier's shoulder, and it stayed there even after Cas kicked the door shut behind him. 

"So what did you think?" asked Harpier. She reached up to lightly caress the hand that was over her shoulder. 

"It was pleasant, I suppose," answered Cas in his usual deadpan tone. 

"What do you want to do now?" asked Harpier. 

"I assumed you would want to rest."

"No, it's way too early for that! How about we talk?" she suggested. Castiel looked mildly confused but didn't reject the idea. 

They sat back on the couch in silence for a while before Harpier broke it. 

"So who are you exactly?" she asked, staring up at the ceiling with Cas's hand still in her's. 

"I've already told you, I'm Castiel, angel of the Lord," he said simply as he played with her fingers between his. 

"But what are angels then, really?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, when I was a kid sometimes I went to church. At Christmas there would be little angels hung around the streets. I even had a kid version of the bible with easy words and pictures. All the time, angels were shows as women with long blonde hair and beautiful white dresses who had white fluffy wings, a halo, and a harp normally. I was also told that when I died, if I was a good little girl, I would become an angel," reminisced Harpier. 

"Well, obviously I'm not a blonde woman with white wings and a dress. I've never even touched a harp. Also you will not become an angel when you die. People do not become angels, or it happens very rarely. Angels can become humans though."

"But what is being an angel all about?"

"It's being a warrior. That's what angels are: God's warriors. The archangels are the mightiest warriors  
of us all."

"So not exactly the peaceful kind, huh?" 

"Nor the free kind," sighed Castiel. 

"What do you mean?" asked Harpier, turning her head over to face Cas. 

"As soliders we're expected to be obedient. To do as either God or higher ranked angels say," he explained dismally. 

"You don't sound too pleased about that arrangement," observed Harpier. 

"Not long ago, when I met the Winchesters, my orders became more and more obscure. Keeping faith in my superiors grew difficult and I found myself in a rebellious state. I'm still in that state." Harpier stayed quiet for a while, simply letting her hand be caressed by Castiel's strong fingers before she spoke again, barely above a whisper. 

"I like your kind of angel better," she said, and she leaned over on Cas's shoulder and closed her eyes. 

Everyday at work Chris and Harpier walked in and walked out at the same time. Every morning and every evening he would shake her hand. Everything about it seemed so normal that Harpier often had to remind herself that this was the man Sam and Dean planned to kill. This was the man who was, in less than a week, destined to steal Death's ring. Nothing strange was happening at all, in fact. Chris seemed to define unsuspicious himself. It wasn't until one day something did happen that Harpier had doubts that Sam and Dean were even chasing the right person. 

The day started like any other: a handshake and a good morning going both ways. Chris went up the elevator to his office and Harpier stayed at the desk in the lobby to answer to any clients. There was nothing unusual until the end of the day when, after their handshake, Harpier found a small piece of paper in her hand. She looked at it carefully. It read, in some of the smallest writing Harpier had seen 'Help, they're using me.' Harpier looked up, wanting to catch up to Chris, but he had already driven off. 

"Cas look at this," said Harpier as she walked in. She found him seated on the couch with his legs propped up on the coffee table. 

"Look at what?"

"This," she said, handing him the paper. 

"What is it?"

"Chris Kendall gave me that before I left work," she explained, sitting next to Cas on the couch. "What should we do?"

"If he knows that we know about the demons, we should stay out of the way," answered Cas bluntly. 

"But it seems like he's in trouble. Maybe we should help him," offered Harpier hopefully. 

"I don't have the same benefit of knowing him like you or being able to worry about him like you. To me all that seems logical is that this is a trap and we need to stay out of the way until Sam and Dean can come... deal with him."

"Whatevs," sighed Harpier at last as she pulled Dean's computer onto her lap and began browsing blindly.

The rest of the evening went quietly. Harpier helped herself to the small portions of food she had bought for their stay while Cas mostly stayed sitting or standing nearby, speaking very little. Only when a knock came at their door near 11 at night that they were reminded of the conflict. Harpier stepped soundlessly to the door and peered through the peep hole. 

"It's Chris," she hissed to Cas, but he wasn't there. Then he appeared behind her again, startling her. 

"I was just in the hall, don't worry, he didn't see me," whispered Cas as Harpier caught her breath. "He's alone. Are you going to let him in?" Harpier gave a quick glance around the appartment and at herself to make sure there was nothing suspicious. All was clear, but she was in her dressing gown because she had showered not long ago. 

"Take your clothes off, Cas," she instructed finally. "It'll look like we just woke up." Cas quickly undressed as Harpier unbolted the door and opened it slowly. With a small flapping of wings Cas was right behind her again with is arm around her waist. 

"Good evening, Chris," greeted Cas. Harpier couldn't help but pass him a quick look; she was impressed. 

"Hello, I'm sorry that it's so late," he rambled, looking at his feet. "Oh," he then said, pausing suddenly as he looked up, spying Cas's clothes strewn over the couch and the floor. "Sorry to, uhm, interrupt." Harpier blushed, noticing now the mess and her loose tie on her dressing gown, and Castiel looked confused.

"You didn't interrupt anything," assured Harpier. "What's going on?" Chris looked over his shoulder, the look of fear strong in his eyes. 

"Can I come it?" he whispered. Harpier and Cas stepped aside to let him pass through, and directed him to the clean side of the couch. 

"So what's going on?" asked Harpier as she and Cas took their spots next to him. 

"This is going to sound crazy," he began. "YOu're going to think I'm a mental case but please just listen and don't call anyone. There are things out there, monsters. They come in puffs of black smoke and go down your throat and take over your body. These things, these demons, they're bossing me. They want me to kill people who are coming close to town and I need help. I don't want to steal, I don't want to kill, but I don't want to die. I trust you Harpier. I don't know what you can do but I need help." By the time he was done talking he seemed to be nearly in tears. Harpier was mildly surprised to hear about the demons, but was following well. Cas just seemed worried. 

"We should get Sam and Dean in here," remarked Cas. Chris's eyes went wide. 

"No, they're who I'm supposed to steal from." 

"Not this Sam and Dean," said Cas. 

"Sorry," said Harpier, watching Chris grow more and more confused. "He's not good at explanations. We're from the future to stop you from stealing the ring."

"You know about the ring?" gasped Chris. 

"We know about everything," said Cas.

"Then what are we going to do?" groaned Chris, constantly looking over his shoulders. 

"I'll get Sam and Dean," declared Cas, and with a flap of his wings he was gone. Chris pointed to where Cas had been just a moment before spluttering a bit. 

"He'll be back," Harpier comforted. "For now we're covering this place with salt." Knowing that they would be dealing with demons sooner or later, Cas warned Harpier to get as much salt as she could when she went shopping, and she had. Can by can she lined the doors, the windows, and the walls to be sure there were no cracks the demons could enter by. 

"Nice work, kiddo." Harpier jumped to hear Dean's voice not far behind her. She turned to see that he was there with Sam and Castiel in between them. Dean was armed with a gun that he had once explained contained salt rock bullets and Sam held a knife that she had been told could kill demons. Cas didn't have anything, but Harpier assumed he wasn't completely unarmed. Dean reached into his coat and pulled out a hand gun which he tossed over to Harpier. "I've got faith in your shooting," he said. 

The room was quiet. Chris quivered on the couch, no longer questioning the powers of the angel or any of the logic in the sitution. 

"Don't get me wrong now, I like the peace," said Harpier, breaking the silence. "But does this seem wrong to anyone else?" Sam looked at Dean worriedly. 

"We need to draw them in," said Sam looking over regretfully at the others. 

"You're saying bait," said Harpier. "I'll do it." 

"No, you're not being bait, kid," commanded Dean. He turned to Sam and they spoke in hushed voices. 

"I'll go out, Dean, kay?" suggested Sam. 

"No way, Sammy. You hold down the fort and Cas and I can go out and smoke a few before they come in," countered Dean. 

"I don't think that would be wise," said Cas suddenly. "Harpier legitimately is our best hope as a bait."

"Then it's decided," declared Harpier already walking towards the salt-lined door. 

"Harpier!" called Dean as she reached for the knob. He looked to his feet shamefully, sending her out as bait when he had promised she would be safe, that it would be easy, fun even. "Take this," he said, pulling a small bottle from his pocket. "It's holy water. Demons hate it." He tossed it over to her and she caught it with her free hand. She gave a curt nod to the men in the room, then opened the door and walked into the hall. 

"What's happening?" The boys could hear Harpier, muffled from the door, in the hall. She sounded almost like she was crying. "Let me in!" she now screamed, hitting the door. Sam ran towards it but Cas beat him there, looking through the peep hole. He turned back to Sam and Dean. 

"Oh she's good," he said with a hint of a smile. 

"What are you talking about?" asked Sam, looking at the door, listening to the screams. 

"She's putting on a show for the demons," he said. There was almost the sound of awe in his voice as he looked back over his shoulder where the ruckus came from. Soon there were more sounds and the screams seemed more real. Now Sam and Dean readied their weapons. Behind them, Chris slowly stood up. 

"I can hear them talking to me," he said. Dean turned to him. 

"What are they saying?"

"They want me to get out or kill you," he said regretfully. 

"And what are you going to do?" asked Dean, now pointing his gun at Chris. 

"I'm going to fight the bloody demons what do you think?" he said, grabbing the half empty can of salt Harpier had left on the coffee table. Dean grinned a little as he turned back to face the door. For someone he had come back in time for just to kill, Chris Kendall had proven to be pretty decent. 

Suddenly the door crashed open, breaking the salt line. Through the opening Dean could see three bodies on the ground, dead. None of them were Harpier so he let out a long slow breath of relief. But, if she wasn't dead, where was she? In walked a tall woman with brown curls to her shoulders. She wore a tight black dress with a denim jacket on top.

"I should have guessed," said Castiel angrily. 

"You know her, Cas?" asked Dean.

"Chris Kendall's wife. Well I'll assume not really then," explained Cas, remembering the dinner with Chris and Harpier. Thinking back, it was probably the reason why Chris had wanted the dinner in the first place, to get Harpier to meet the demon who was controlling him. 

"What a smart little angel you are," taunted the demon, Elena. "And so nice to see you, Sam and Dean."

"Well that makes one of us," said Dean, cocking his rifle. 

"My, aren't you the eager one?" she laughed. "But I wouldn't be so hasty if I were you."

"What? Come to make a deal?" asked Dean. 

"No, well in a way, I suppose. You see I've got one of your biggest weaknesses," explained Elena. Behind her a man came in holding Harpier from the back of her nightgown that was slipping off her shoulder and her hands tied behind her back. "Looks like you had a little too much faith in the wrong person," Elena laughed, emphasizing the word 'faith.' 

"She was listening!" shouted Dean. "How did you hear that? How did she hear that?" he yelled, turning to Chris. 

"Oh don't be so hard on him he didn't know he was tapped," clucked Elena. "But you can shoot him if you like. I don't need him anymore." Dean turned back to Elena, aiming right at her chest. 

"Shoot me and the girl is dead. Then I still have my army, so I get Death anyway. Best thing to do would be to just hand it over. I mean, I'm not that bad. I can promise this girl's life if I get the ring," cooed Elena. It almost sounded convincing, but not enough. 

"Never," said Dean. 

"I knew it wouldn't be easy dealing with you Winchesters. You don't know a good deal when you see one. Your pride always gets in the way of making deals with demons, like you're too good for them. Funny because you're always willing to make the deal after someone's dead," sighed Elena. "So I've decided to get the whole insentive thing done and over with. You can kill her now," she directed to the man next to her. Harpier looked up at Dean, her face white as a sheet. 

"No! You can't! She hasn't done anything!" he shouted, lunging forward. 

"She just killed three of my friends," defended Elena. "Do it," she then said, turning to the demon next to her. Harpier slowly closed her eyes. The man put his hands around her head, ready to snap her neck. "Take your time," suggested Elena. "So she can feel herself dying. It'll sweeten the deal a bit." The man laughed ominously and turned Harpier's neck, but just as it would be breaking, he realized his hands were empty. He looked around the room and to Elena, shocked. Elena wore a similar expression, trying to keep her cool and not let herself be tricked. 

"Yoohoo," came a gentle voice from behind the demons. Standing in the broken doorway was Harpier, still with her hands tied behind her back. "Were you looking for me?" 

"How did you do that?" breathed Elena, making a sudden leap in the direction of the door. Harpier disappeared again. 

"It would be great for you to untie these for me," said Harpier, reappearing not far from Dean. 

"Get her!" shrieked Elena. The other demon pounced forward but Harpier was already gone again. "What is she?" demanded Elena. Castiel stepped forward. 

"The girl who just kicked your ass," stated Castiel, and he put his hand on her forhead and watched placidly as Elena began coughing up black smoke and screaming, and as Dean shot the other demon who was already making a run for the door. 

Harpier materialized in time to witness this, but only barely. She was dizzy and nauseous, so she stumbled forwards and fell into Sam's arms. 

"You guys saved me," exclaimed Chris once there was a moment of silence. 

"All in a day's work," said Dean, patting him on the arm. "Now you should probably get out of here." Chris nodded and jogged out the door frame. Dean and Cas both turned to see Harpier leaning against Sam. Sam picked her up and put her on the couch. 

Harpier's eyes fluttered open. Sam, Dean, and Cas simultaneously let out a sigh of relief. 

"God, was I that bad?" she asked with a small smile, pushing herself up with her now free hands. 

"How did you do it, though?" asked Sam. Harpier lifted her arm, revealing a leather bracelet around her wrist. 

"Think I'd go against anything without the power to disappear?" she asked. 

"I thought you could only time travel with that," said Dean. 

"It's a vortex manipulator," she explained. "Time and space." 

"Think it's got enough juice to take us back home?" questioned Dean, remembering how Cas's powers could drain if they were overused. 

"Yeah, just give us a sec," replied Harpier. She got all of the stuff she had brought with her back in her backpack and returned to the living room. "Everyone got your rings?" she asked. The three men held up their hands to show the golden rings Harpier had given them. "Then let's go!" 

In no time, they found themselves back in Harpier's appartment. Everything was just as they had left it. Harpier's tea was still steaming, even. 

"We'd better be off," said Dean. "But you were great, kid," he added, tapping Harpier on the shoulder. 

"He's right," agreed Sam, doing the same. 

"Where are you going though?" asked Harpier. 

"Oh the usual," Dean shrugged. "Off to a cheap motel and moving on to the next job while angel boy here goes back to heaven."

"Can I come?" asked Harpier hopefully. 

"To heaven? The place is run by dicks, kid, you wouldn't like it," Dean said. 

"No, with you. On trips and stuff," she explained. 

"Same deal: run by dicks and unpleasant," laughed Dean. 

"No, I want to come," she said, more surely. 

"It would be dangerous. You'd be constantly risking you life," said Dean, now more serious. 

"So?" asked Harpier, rolling her eyes. "What do you think Torchwood was?"

"Science?" attempted Dean.

"It just seems like I've been standing here my whole life waiting for something to happen to me. A chance for me to make a difference. Now I've got it. This is what I've been waiting for." Sam and Dean looked at eachother, and then to Cas. Finally Sam sighed. 

"Well you'd better put on more than a dressing gown then," he said. Harpier's face immediately lit up. "Welcome to the team."

**Author's Note:**

> The ending may seem a little rushed but there is more to come. More Harpier and Winchester adventures in other chapters.


End file.
